Laugh
by Faded Nights
Summary: Sometimes, laughter is the only thing that will take away the pain of inexistence. [series of oneshots and drabbles]
1. Laugh

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts characters and universe belong to SquareEnix.

Warnings: Spoilers of KHII. Written with shounen-ai intent, but it doesn't have to be taken as such.

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**Laugh**

Axel was sure that the Proof of Existence room within the Castle that Never Was had intriguing origins. He was sure that there was some meaning to the arrangement of the room, and to the way it fanned out from the top of the room to the bottom of the room. He was sure that it – the castle itself – knew its inhabitants better than the inhabitants themselves – after all, there was only so much that a Nobody could know about him (or her) self.

Axel was sure of all of these things, and of more. Though of course, he had no wish to know the origin of Proof of Existence. He knew that it was one of the most depressing rooms in the castle – why did they need glowing blue lights to let them know they were still alive? And he knew that he avoided it at all costs, usually by simply using a portal to enter his own room.

Axel didn't have any wish to know of the history of the architecture of the room either. In fact, he only wanted to know one thing, and that thing was the reason why he was standing in _this_ room, and not running out as fast as he could without looking back.

Roxas.

The boy had sealed himself within his rooms and made them inaccessible by portal – how, Axel had no idea – and Axel was beginning to worry about him. He had no idea what had spurred the boy to such actions – perhaps he was questioning too deeply into his existence again? – but he knew that it was up to him to get Roxas out of whatever slump he'd fallen into. That was what best friends were for, wasn't it?

The red-haired man glared at the glowing blue square below his feet. It was the twelfth in the room; embellished with a brightly glowing Keyblade, and the engraved words '_Key of Destiny._' And the portal above it was the alternate entrance to Roxas' rooms.

Though Axel would never admit it to anyone (indeed, he was having a hard time admitting it to himself), he became worried about Roxas when the blonde secluded himself like this – yes, it happened often. Or perhaps worried wasn't the word. Worry was a feeling, and he couldn't technically feel.

Axel shook his head to rid it of philosophies, then glared again at the glowing doorway and stepped through it and across the threshold into the antechamber of Roxas' rooms. As expected, the boy wasn't there. The antechamber was too impersonal.

Axel crossed the room, knocked once on the bedroom door, and then pushed it open, only to be stopped by the feel of the blunt, cold metal edge of a Keyblade touching his throat.

"Go away, Axel," Roxas deadpanned, applying a slight bit more pressure to the Oathkeeper. Axel let out a soft chuckle but didn't move. He trusted Roxas enough that he didn't think the boy would skewer him, though he couldn't say anything about bloodletting…

"What's wrong, kid?" Axel asked around the blade pressing into his throat. It wasn't the most comfortable position, but he didn't want to move – so far, Roxas wasn't really using _force_ to send him out of the room. And they both knew that Roxas could beat Axel in a fight without tiring.

"Nothing. Get out," his voice was the same deadpan, and Axel frowned, then sidestepped the Keyblade and quickly moved up to Roxas, grabbing him around the waist before the boy could react.

"Like I believe that," he stated calmly as Roxas struggled against Axel's stronger arms. The Oathkeeper disappeared from Roxas' hand as he freed it to pry at the grip around his shoulders.

"Why do you do this, Axel? You know it's fake," Roxas bit out.

Axel let out a deep sigh. "You know what, Roxas? I don't care." He grinned and trailed one finger down Roxas' side. "And why don't I care? Because as much as they claim we can't feel, you're still ticklish."

He proceeded to prove to Roxas, just how ticklish the boy really was, and the blonde haired boy's thoughts of falsities were forgotten as he tried to get Axel to stop tickling him, laughing all the while.

_"Thank you for being there to make me forget. Thank you for being there to make me laugh."

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_Author's Note_

Fairly drabbley, pointless and… less than 1000 words. X.x Nothing I write is ever less than 1000 words.

Anyway, review please, because I need to know if I should bother writing any more of these shorts.


	2. Defeat 10 Forms

Disclaimer: The Kingdom Hearts universe and its characters belong to SquareEnix.

Warnings: Shounen-ai.

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**Defeat 10 Forms**

Defeat 10 forms within 10 seconds, or they'll multiply and overwhelm you. Really, Demyx didn't need to fight. Not physically. He was a master of his element (though he hardly gained recognition of it) and could make it through entire fights without once lashing out with a physical attack. Sometimes he even won.

Defeat 10 forms within 10 seconds, without using your own magic. It's ineffective. Of course, the other members of the Organization – those who had powerful elements of their own – refused to go through a battle without resorting to physical blows anyway. Was their style of fighting better? More practical? Having been on the losing end of spars with Demyx many times, Axel didn't think so.

Defeat 10 forms within 10 seconds, or get soaked, because the figures are no more than animated sculptures of water. Who said that Demyx had no fighting skill? True, he was more of a mage than a warrior, but mages were quite capable of fighting as well. More than capable, in fact.

Defeat 10 forms within 10 seconds or the rest of the Organization is entitled to laugh for the next week. It was really no wonder that the water user's sense of self-worth was so low.

Defeat 10 forms within 10 seconds or deal with his gloating smile and proud eyes for that same, laugh filled week. Not that the grin was painful. Demyx deserved the right to gloat once in a while. Winning made Demyx happy – or as close to happy as he could get – and made others in the Organization notice him more.

Defeat 10 forms within 10 seconds or deal with his perplexed frowns. He's well aware of the power of the other members of the Organization, and has been known to wonder if the attacks in his direction were pulled to stop him getting hurt.

Defeat 10 forms within 10 seconds and deal with his sulking because he didn't think it possible to lose to you.

Fail to defeat 10 forms within 10 seconds and comfort him with a gentle kiss afterward. Demyx needs the reassurance, because, this time, Axel forgot to pull his blows.

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_Author's Note_

Wow, less than a page. Oh well.

Review?


	3. Burns

Disclaimer: The Kingdom Hearts universe and its characters belong to SquareEnix.

Warnings: Shounen-ai.

Pairings: AkuRoku

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**Burns**

By the time Roxas had finally shown up, there were angry raised blisters all along Axel's lower arms, and the skin that hadn't been blistered was covered in third degree burns. It had put Roxas in a state of shock. Surely the fire-wielder shouldn't have been able to receive such burns?

Of course, Axel insisted that it didn't hurt. No matter how he winced as he moved, or the raw pain that shone in his green eyes, Axel insisted that the wounds were only superficial. Of course, that didn't stop him from letting Roxas fuss over them, nor did it stop him from allowing them to be tightly bandaged.

The time it took for the burns to finally heal had an interesting effect on their relationship anyway. Every night, Roxas would carefully change the bandages, all the while trying to keep Axel from laying another kiss on his face so that he could _see _what he was doing. (Though he enjoyed the attention, however red his face turned.)

Needless to say, by the time the bandages were finally ready to come off, the two were more affectionate than they had ever been, odd for Nobodies perhaps, but the two didn't seem to notice. They ignored the side glances and snide remarks of the other Organization members, almost completely enraptured by one another.

So of course, when Roxas was the one injured, Axel paid him the same attention, though it was still Axel stealing kisses while tightly wrapping bandages around Roxas' twisted foot.

So when the ankle healed and Roxas suddenly decided he was leaving, Axel was confused. When Roxas claimed that no one would miss him if he were to leave, Axel didn't understand.

The part of Axel that had been rediscovered within his relationship with Roxas vanished again as Axel watched him walk away. He tried to show as little emotion as Roxas had upon walking away. After all, if it didn't matter to Roxas, why should it matter to Axel?

But it _did_ matter, as much as he tried to hide it. It _did_ matter, because Axel had returned to feeling like he was nothing. He'd returned to being a true Nobody. A thing that didn't feel emotion, because there was nothing around to cause it to feel emotion. So was it really any wonder when Axel finally left?

And at the final moment, when his energy was spent and he lay there, covered in welts from his own power, he could only think of the relationship strengthened by burns.

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_Author's Note_

…Kill me, that was awful.

I based the beginning off of a crack rp that I'm part of, so umm…


	4. A Little Torture

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts characters and universe belong to SquareEnix.

Pairing: AkuDemy

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**A Little Torture**

It was only a little torture. One small torture was all it usually took to send him over the edge, to get him to leave Axel alone. It wasn't working this time though. Something, somewhere inside him had finally discovered that fire – Axel's source of the one small torture – was utterly ineffective. It had taken a great deal of time for it to come about, but there is was.

So what was there to do now? Now that the one little torture didn't keep him away? Did Axel simply give in? Let happen what would happen? It didn't matter; it didn't mean anything, right?

The next time that familiar splatter of water extinguished the small torture, Axel gave in. He was the one on the receiving end of the tortures this time, but he was content. If he couldn't be happy, that feeling of contentment would suffice. It had to.


	5. Vulnerability

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts characters and universe belong to SquareEnix.

Pairing: AkuRoku

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**Vulnerable**

It was raining again. It always seemed to rain in the World that Never Was. And it was always night, but that was unimportant. Night time, daytime; it didn't matter to the inhabitants of the Castle that Never Was. And they were the only ones who lived in the world. So it didn't matter to anyone. The rain, though. The rain was irritating. Rain flattened his hair and extinguished his flames. Rain made him vulnerable.

And vulnerable was the one thing he never wanted to be when Roxas was in one of his moods – not that they had moods, or emotions for that matter, but it was an easy way to describe such things. Roxas picked on him when it rained, and it made him feel weak and unwanted. He hated the feeling of being weak and unwanted – it made the patter of raindrops a hated noise, it made him hate Roxas.

It wouldn't be until the rain cleared that Roxas would stop picking on him. But then, when the rain cleared, he was himself again. Was it Roxas who couldn't handle change, or was it just him?


	6. Leather

Pairing: Marluxia/Demyx

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**Leather**

Demyx' pants were far too tight for him to be walking around in the without his uniform jacket covering him. Hell, they looked far too tight for him to be walking _at all_. And they were leather. Black leather. Where the hell had Demyx gotten the munny to buy black leather pants?

Marluxia wasn't quite sure if he wanted to ask, or to get involved at all. But he also knew that if Demyx was allowed to carry on like this, that arguments would start. And then Demyx would start whining. Again.

"Demyx, what the hell are you wearing?" Marluxia growled, stepping from the shadows of the nook where he'd been quietly observing. The water user jumped and let out an 'eep' of surprise as he spun to stare at Marluxia. Then his face broke out in a grin.

"Leather pants. Aren't they awesome?" the Melodious Nocturne asked. He spun, as if trying to show off the pants, and believing that Marluxia was actually interested. Which he wasn't. At all.

"No. _Why _do you have leather -- Never mind. Where's your uniform, and why aren't you wearing it?" the assassin asked with an exasperated look in his eye. Demyx regarded him strangely.

"I'm not out on a mission. The Superior's never said that we have to wear our jackets in the castle," he said. That stupid grin was still on his face, and it was kind of cute – in an annoying way. A very annoying way.

"It was implied, Demyx. Have you ever seen anyone else walking around without their uniform?" Marluxia asked, rolling his eyes toward the ceiling.

"Axel –"

"Other than Axel." Marluxia stated, cutting the Nocturne off before he could even get _started_ on all of the times the fire-wielder had broken Xemnas' rules and gotten away with it.

"…no." Demyx admitted after a moment of thought.

"Then why did you think you'd get away with it?"

"It was only once!" Demyx protested, a horrified look replacing his grin. Now the – rather slow – boy thought he was in trouble. Amusing, but irritating, because Demyx got whiny when he thought he was in trouble.

"Go put your jacket on Demyx, and I won't tell anyone," Marluxia replied. The Nocturne hesitated, then nodded and made to leave. Marluxia stopped him with a hand on his arm. "You do have a cute butt though," he said. Demyx grinned, and Marluxia bent slightly to kiss the Nocturne before summoning a portal and vanishing.


	7. Ice Cream

Pairing: AkuRoku

Inspired by the new Final Mix + screen shot.

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**Ice Cream**

Ice cream was Axel's last resort. Roxas loved sea-salt ice cream – he had when they were both in the Organization, and from what he'd seen when observing Roxas in DiZ's Twilight Town, that was one thing that hadn't changed. He still ate sea-salt ice cream as though he needed it to live. It was cute, really, and looked like it was something that Axel could use to get Roxas to remember the Organization. Or at least to remember him. That was most important.

Like a virus, Axel was sneaking around Twilight Town, trying to disrupt everything that DiZ had carefully programmed in. A direct meeting hadn't worked – Roxas' memory had been wiped, it seemed – but maybe something stealthier. He'd left one of the old Roxas' black Organization jackets in Roxas' room, hoping that the kid would be curious enough to decide to wear it. This Roxas seemed curious, not like Organization-Roxas, but then, this Roxas also appeared to have feelings, emotions. Which was supposed to be impossible for them.

Axel was hanging around outside the ice cream shoppe now, loitering in the alley beside it and watching for Roxas while trying not to be seen by anyone else. He was succeeding – the program wasn't very good. Everyone except Roxas was programmed, and since Axel wasn't supposed to be there, they weren't programmed to see him. But DiZ's monitors could, so Axel hid.

There! A speeding dash of black jacket, flapping as the person wearing it ran by. So Roxas _was_ curious. He was wearing the jacket. Or maybe he remembered that Axel had been wearing one similar. Either way, it was possible that he could recreate one of their last times together before Roxas had left the Organization.

Axel stepped from the alleyway, and grabbed two sea-salt ice cream bars before running after the short blonde boy. "Roxas!" he called, spotting the boy seated on a bench a little way away. Roxas looked up, curious, and Axel crossed to him and handed him one of the ice cream bars, then seated himself at the other end of the bench and began to slowly eat it. He stared at the ice cream, but watched Roxas out of the corner of his eye, noting that the blonde wasn't looking at him.

Finally, Roxas spoke, "You're responsible for leaving this in my room?" he asked, still not looking at Axel.

Axel nodded, with a murmured noise of assent. Roxas sighed, "I have no idea who you are. You act like we've known each other for ages, but we haven't. Maybe I remind you of someone else?" Roxas sounded hopeful, as if he wanted the whole thing to be a misunderstanding. Axel shook his head.

"You used to know me… But I guess things change. Enjoy the ice cream," he replied, then stood and vanished into a portal. He was running out of time. Xemnas wouldn't stand for his failing to bring Roxas back much longer.

But what could he do?


End file.
